Getting Healthy 2013: 5 Ways to Get Body Beautiful

I need to make some serious changes.  My #1 gift request for Christmas this year was a bicycle, a Panama Jack Cruiser bike from Wal-mart to be exact.  It has been ordered and will be here by Christmas.  Although that is a good start for getting healthy in 2013 it isn’t enough.  Fortunately for me Andrea Riggs has teamed up with @McDonaldsATL and has offered to share some tips for the holidays.

5 Ways to Get Body Beautiful

Tip #1:  Start with Breakfast

Eating breakfast will help you feel full and may make it easier to stay healthy over the holidays.  McDonald’s makes it easy with their latest wholesome offering, the Egg White Delight McMuffin. The secret ingredient is approximately 200 calories of lean protein, with 100% egg whites on grill and an extra lean Canadian bacon and a whole grain English muffin with extra fiber. The extra protein in the a.m. and the whole grains will help you feel more satisfied to control your appetite and boost your metabolism with lots of flavor at 260 total calories.

Tips #2: Schedule 10 Min. Workout Sessions  

Just as you would any other appointment, schedule short strength workouts to build the lean muscle necessary to keep your body burning more calories each day.  In order to achieve a total body workout, a set of 25 repetitions of push-ups, standing squats and standing leg lifts.  The key is to perform exercises as a circuit to achieve a high intensity session in as little as 10 minutes, three days per week.  If you have a set of light hand weights, my favorite moves are a squat press and a lift raise to engage the upper, lower and mid-section in a single standing movement.

Tip #3: Fill Up Early on Water

Grab a bottle of Dasani water on the go or start filling up your water bottle in the morning to help you fill full and avoid extra drink calories that you can save for snacking or a holiday meal.  You will need to drink half your body weight in oz. of water each day or target 5 – 6 bottles.  One handy trick is to buy a 64 ounce water jug and fill it up in the morning or simply grab a few extra bottles to drink in your car by the end of the day.

Tip #4: Just Walk More

You probably aren’t aware how many extra calories you can burn each day by just walking during the course of the day.  A few laps around the parking lot after dropping off your children at school, a few blocks during your lunch break, or an extra 10 minutes walking the neighborhood while you are waiting for your dinner meal.  With very little effort you would have achieved a goal of 30 minutes of physical activity to compliment and alternate with your scheduled strength training sessions.

Tip #5: Shop & Snack Healthy

It is more important than ever to have healthy snacks handy in your purse, car, office and at-home in you your kitchen. The more convenient they are, the more likely you are to eat them. So instead of thinking about all the foods you shouldn’t eat during the holiday, stock up on fresh apples, salad mix, almonds or walnuts, cheese slices and yogurt and promise yourself to eat 3 to 5 healthy snacks each day.  And if you need a healthy snack on the go, check out my favorites, the McDonald’s Fruit & Yogurt parfait or Fruit and Walnut salad made with fresh wholesome ingredients and the perfect portion sizes for a midday pick-me-up at about 200 calories, about 10% of the calories you need to keep your body digesting and metabolizing during the day.

Disclosure Statement

The Greater Atlanta McDonald’s Operators Association (GAMOA) partnered with bloggers such as me to help educate us all about the new Egg White Delight McMuffin. As part of this program, I received compensation. They did not tell me what to purchase or what to say about the use of the product. GAMOA believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. GAMOA policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, FTC guidelines and social media engagement recommendations. A winner will be chosen by random and voucher fulfillment will be handled by a third party.